Wednesday 7 April 2010

The BBC just aren't trying

Yesterday this blog noted that the BBC's Election 2010 website takes for granted that religion is a political factor in Northern Ireland. Fair enough – this is something that is taken for granted by everyone in Northern Ireland – but it runs entirely counter to the polite pretence that it is not so. And this is a pretence that the 'liberal media', including the BBC, have been promoting for years.

But a closer look at the BBC's Election 2010 website reveals that its admission of the politico-religious fault line in Northern Ireland may not have been a deliberate change of policy – it may simply be because whoever is responsible for the site is not very clever.

Take, for example, the candidates that the site lists for each constituency;

In South Down the list (of two) includes Eddie McGrady, despite the fact that he has publicly announced that he will not re-stand – a fact that is, incidentally, reported on a different BBC site!

In West Tyrone the BBC's Election 2010 website ignores the formal announcement by UCUNF that Ross Hussey will stand there, and lists only Pat Doherty.

Fermanagh and South Tyrone lists Tom Elliott as a candidate, but not Arlene Foster, despite both having been announced by their parties.

And on it goes in a similar vein – no Paisley in North Antrim, no Overend in Mid Ulster …

If the BBC wants to be seen as a reliable reference tool for this election, it needs to up its game.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Céad míle ag teacht!

Anonymous said...

My own read on this is that nobody in Great Britain really cares very much about Northern Ireland. It is an annoying backwater at best. I doubt very many people on the 'mainland' would be sorry to see it go.

hoboroad said...

"I trust the UUP will not allow their Tory paymasters to destroy this once in a generation opportunity." Peter Robinson on unionist unity.

Yeah Reg why not go for it? It is not like you need Ashcroft's money is it? I am sure Peter generous man that he is will cut you into any property deals he has on the go.

hoboroad said...

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/dup-man-keeps-two-robinsons-on-payroll-14761323.html

Anonymous said...

You're not trying very hard yourself.

hoboroad said...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/apr/09/general-election-2010-scotland

hoboroad said...

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/17446/ANALYSIS-Will-Connor-actually-win.6216610.jp

hoboroad said...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7094258.ece

Dazzler said...

Your gone very quite considerin all thats gone on in the last week

Anonymous said...

Hoboroad;

Everything the UKIP person said is true.